Alternative TitlesSynonyms: Charcoal Feather Federation Japanese: 灰羽連盟
Information
Type: TV
Episodes: 13
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Oct 10, 2002 to Dec 19, 2002
Duration:
24 min. per episode Rating:
PG-13 - Teens 13 or older
L represents licensing company
StatisticsScore: 8.241 (scored by 10904 users)
Ranked: #1782
Popularity: #159
Members: 19,269
Favorites: 852 1 indicates a weighted score
My Info
Popular Tags
drama fantasy mystery slice of life |
SynopsisA dream of falling from the sky...and then birth. Rakka is born from a large cocoon into the Old Home, greeted by a group of females with small wings on their backs and shining halos above their heads. Soon Rakka’s own wings grow, a halo is placed on her head and she is told that she must work in the nearby town of Grie. She soon realizes that the town and the entire world they live in are confined behind the Wall, a tall, impenetrable wall that none except the mysterious Toga are allowed to exit.
[Source: ANN] |
Related AnimeAdaptation: The Haibanes of Old Home
Characters & Voice Actors
Staff
|
Negishi, Hiroshi
Director, Storyboard |
|
Yoshikawa, Koji
Episode Director, Storyboard |
|
Takahiro, Omori
Episode Director, Storyboard, Key Animation |
|
Itou, Masumi
Theme Song Composition, Theme Song Arrangement, Theme Song Performance |
Reviews
|
|
TrenchKamen
39 of 55 people found this review helpful
|
13 of 13 episodes seen
|
| Overall |
9 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
10 |
| Sound |
10 |
| Character |
8 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
This is truly a stand-alone work in terms of originality. ABe did not self-censor and allowed the full weight of his intuition and dreams to direct his hand, and the result is a beautiful, ethereal, archetypal world fully-realized and yet deep enough to retain mystery. The show does not explain everything, even the most important aspects of Gile, and that feels okay. We can see in this fantastic world what is in our innermost hearts, and our intuition fills in so many of the gaps. Few stories manage to do this so well.
The story manages to blend soft, yet interesting, aspects of slice-of-life with haunting and bittersweet themes such as suicide, sacrifice, and redemption. This hints of something intimate from within ABe's innermost heart, something he himself has experienced--and in that rawness, there is a universal quality. Many people in fandom have experienced profound loneliness and depression in a manner that seems to echo throughout the story. Many of us have felt useless, hopelessly misunderstood, and lonely. This is a story of comfort.
True to ABe's style, the artwork for this title is utterly fantastic. The setting is stunning in its beauty, European-style architecture amid emerald-green fields and rust-mottled windmills, harmonized with East Asian-style shrines, festivals, and esoteric memorabilia. The characters' names come from Japanese words for concepts, and the world's writing is in Japanese, so it is by no means divorced from its source country, nor does ABe try. The result is not in the least jarring: if anything, it is merely another aspect of integration, something soft and beautiful and lush. And the clouds--the weather phenomena simply looks fantastic.
If you cannot stand anime with a slow, idyllic pace, or you simply must have action, giant robots, and political intrigue, this is not the show for you. Likewise, if you cannot stand symbolic, dreamlike storylines in which not everything is explained explicitly, this will drive you mad. Otherwise, I highly recommend taking a trip into Gile. It will be greatly worth your time. read more
|
|
TheCriticsClub
107 of 152 people found this review helpful
|
13 of 13 episodes seen
|
| Overall |
10 |
| Story |
8 |
| Animation |
9 |
| Sound |
9 |
| Character |
9 |
| Enjoyment |
9 |
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that a large number of anime fans have encountered Yoshitoshi Abe or the shows he’s created and worked on, nor would I be wrong to say that he has gained a strong fanbase for his beautiful art and creative vision. Many people were turned off by the gritty confusion that was Serial Experiments Lain (one of his previous works), but there were a still few willing to dive into Haibane Renmei despite the previous title's flaws. In his debut as a writer, Yoshitoshi Abe envisioned and penned an anime series that quietly tugs at the heart and that has carved its own place in the anime medium with its unique charm. Like most things, the show is not for everyone. Although it is a solid work that should be at least enjoyed by most of its potential audiences, for those of us who, like I, find themselves yearning for a show that will sweep them away into another world and enchant them, it can easily become more of an experience than just a work of entertainment.
One of the first things a viewer will notice when watching this series, is the visual and artistic style with which it is produced. Although the animation does not excel on any technical level, with occasional distortions and simplifications in the cel work, it certainly gets the job done and is more than made up for in the other artistic elements. The background artwork is detailed, scenic and fits the tone of the series perfectly. The character designs are simple but memorable and attractive, particularly Rakka. Most importantly, the series is washed in a soft, water-coloured style that gives it a subtle dream-like quality. The audio aspects of production were also strong, but, especially in the case of the score music, did not excel. Kou Otani (who recently did the score for Shana) handled the music and created a score that was engaging but ultimately forgettable. The main problem is likely that a real orchestra and instruments were not used to create the music, and although her synthetic compositions are strong, the sound ultimately feels tinny and a bit cheap. The OP and ED are very good, particularly the OP, which fits the series perfectly and is an inviting start to every episode.
Haibane Renmei (lit. Ash feather federation), starts off in "Old Home," a small, peaceful village full of enthusiastic youths. The story focuses on a group of five female "Haibane," whom are young girls with tiny wings on their back, and halos floating above their heads. The five eventually become six as a new girl, Rakka, is "born" into their world. From there, Haibane Renmei follows the trials and tribulations of these girls until its stunning climax in episode 13. With little tangible plot to grip onto beyond the premise, Haibane Renmei essentially revolves around the characters’ journeys in confronting their own personal issues, set against the mysterious backdrop of Old Home and the encompassing town. People often have gripes about plot points and settings not being literally explained or explored, but in the case of Haibane Renmei the fact that the surroundings of the Haibane and their circumstances are a nostalgic haze lends focus to their internal struggles. This series makes no mistake about what lays at the core of its tale and, as such, every heart-warming gesture or pang of despair is captured with potency and poignancy.
The characters themselves are benefited from this focus, with the two main characters given a remarkable amount of depth and intensity for a series of this length. The supporting cast are lent a certain weight, but are not completely fleshed out, which is befitting of their supporting roles, really. One great asset the series has is that, perhaps because it appears to be completely unconcerned with pandering to an audience or a market, its characterization feels uniquely sincere. They’re not classifiable as prodigies, tsunderes, role models or heroes, but rather feel like real people with a real heart and soul behind them. Not only does it make the cast likable, but, particularly in the case of the leads Rakka and Reki, this earnestness draws you into their emotional dilemmas and makes you empathize and identify with them. As the characters struggle to come to terms with themselves and their mistakes, it’s hard not to be stirred and affected.
But much more than just a drama with believable characters, Haibane Renmei is hued in a melancholic and languid atmosphere, and dripping with beauty in its symbolism and mystery. Inviting, warm, and ultimately gripping, Haibane Renmei is a series that is nurtured on emotion and thematic overtones, rather than being constructed with plot and action. If you can appreciate that, then it is sure to captivate. Where Haibane Renmei truly succeeds and other dramatic anime fall to the wayside is in its sincerity. Rather than being conceived for audience appeal, one can feel the passion and emotion of the creator seep through. In short, on top of its charm and poignancy, it feels genuine.
This review is the final result of a review team composed of members from the "Critics and Connoisseurs" club. The team members were:
Washi - who composed the actual review
Archaeon - who contributed directly to portions of the review and gave feedback
Seishi - who contributed guidance from his own experience after already writing a review of this show
Here are their individual scorings for the show:
Category - Washi, Archaeon, Seishi
Story - 9, 8, 8
Art - 8, 9, 10
Sound - 8, 9, 10
Character - 10, 8 , 8
Enjoyment - 10, 9, 9
Overall - 10, 9, 10
In the club wide poll held for Haibane Renmei it received an average overall rating of 8.23 read more
Recommendations
|
|
In both these series, the ultimate conflict involves an emotionally damaged girl having to come to terms with her past trauma through the help and friendship of another girl. The latter parts of both series have a similar mood.
While the settings are vastly different (Futuristic computerized city, verses rural small town) the over all themes dealt with in the two series are very similar. Loss of loved ones and learning to move on, understanding what is real and what is fake, etc.
Haibane Renmei and Denno Coil may seem very different at first glance, HR taking place in an environment deprived of modern technology while DC focuses on the borders between reality and the internet but the spirit of both shows is remarkably similar. Both deal with young female leads who must learn how to adjust to unusual circumstances surrounded by mystery in a world where things are not as they at first may seem. The original take on this theme is enhaced by thoughtful moments and a subdued but very lush artwork. What truly seals the deal in establishing a kinship between the two titles is the relationship between two young girls: a certain emotional healing takes place in HR and DC, providing excellent character development through and through.
They are both about young people coming to trust others and move on from the past. Endearing, believable cast of characters combined with a surreal setting that both warms and chills the viewer, makes these two more similar at heart than any other series that are recommended.
|
|
|
Both of these shows leave things open-ended, even after the end. If you're interested in thinking about the world that the characters live in when you watch anime, what important concepts are expressed in anime, or want to still think about a show long after it's over, these two shows work well. While they cover different ideas among those concepts, I feel they both cause similar responses.
Slow-paced story about life in a world different than ours. Both anime have the same light atmosphere.
Both are lyrical, soft, eccentric collections of stories about various philosophical observations. Kino is far more preachy and direct with its observations, but is ultimately no less beautiful.
Both Animes start quite slow, and carry on calm and relaxing, but have got a very deep meaning about them. As well, both have got a theme you could call "talk about philosophical life and meanings". A bit exaggerated, but they still definitely have got a special meaning. The Ending is quite open too, nothing really ever happens particular, but still both have got that little, special sparkle, that's rare to find in an anime.
|
Opening Theme"Free Bird" by Kou Otani
Ending Theme"Blue Flow" by Heart of Air
| No posts for this board were found |
Fansubbing Groups
Which fansubbers do you like the best? Click + to approve of their subs for this show. Click - if you don't think they did such a great job.
Related ClubsCogito Ergo Sum - Philosophy In Anime and Manga, Anti Loli Association, English Dub Watchers, Anime 360, Moe and loli haters , Kemonomimi Shoujo, animeshon, Yuki-Kimiko Fanclub, Dark and Light Angel fan club, The Classics Club, Angel girls, Yoshitoshi ABe, Fantasy Anime Club!, Brie and Spirals club of super amazing awesomeness!!, English Dub Fans, seinen & josei, Haibane Renmei - Charcoal Feather Federation, Elegant Imouto, Smoker's club, Reki FanclubAnimeTracker, Anime Association of Northern Illinois University MyAnimeList club, We Love MASKS!!~, Critics and Connoisseurs, Wings, Koh Ohtani FC, Scooter Girls, Watch Anime Together Club Headquarters, Anime Experience see all
Recently Watched By|
4 minutes ago |
41 minutes ago |
1 hour ago |
1 hour ago |
2 hours ago | |
3 hours ago |
5 hours ago |
5 hours ago |
5 hours ago |
5 hours ago |
|
|
